The perfume was formulated at Sharini Parfums Naturels' workshop in the south of France using 19 ingredients infused in organic corn alcohol and organic orange blossom hydrosol); The perfume ingredients are of 98,6% organic certified and 100% natural origin without the use of any solvent extracted oils.

This natural perfume is completely unique in the sense that no floral absolutes have been used (thus no hexane residue). Instead floral notes were extracted from CO2 extracts and the lavage (washing) of 4 enfleurage pomades - one specifically harvested and prepared by Nicolas and Crystel during the entire month of May 2010 from the wild Genêt or Broom flowers using organic palm oil (cold enfleurage process repeated 18 times on a traditional enfleurage chassis). Photos can be seen on the news section at www.sharini.com).

Although no pricing limitations was given in the brief, any professional perfumer must be aware of reasonable pricing strategies for a successful commercial perfume. Thus a limit of 120€ for a 50ml eau de parfum (2,40€ per ml) was given. Only 25 bottles will be available, each individually numbered, signed and presented in Sharini's distinguished bottles with the handmade ash-wooden tops.

Olfactive description

The sweetness of white grapefruit, wild cherry and rooibos link seemlessly with the honey scented linden blossom and white roses yet given a zingy lift by the ginger. Then the true depth of the floral enfleurage notes resonate with Tahitian gardenia (from traditional AO certified monoi), orange blossom, jasmine and wild genet flowers.

Once firmly in place the perfume heads to a more carnal and sultry labyrinth of base notes....... the musky sexiness of the ambrette seeds and angelic roots gather together a deep and penetrating base chord given a elicit hit of genuine aged agarwood.

The curtain falls long after the opening lines were delivered on a unique sensual natural perfume.

More and more consumers question the provenance and quality of their food: it was only logical that this attitude would shift over to fragrance at some point. This is why Hermès goes through the trouble of sending Jean-Claude Ellena along with a film crew all the way to Kerala to promote Un Jardin après la Mousson, even though the man (filmed with his blotters and vials on a boat as though he were literally composing during his trip) might as well have done the whole thing safe and cosy in his lab in Cabris: to establish some sort of traceability. And this is why one of the most frequent questions customers ask sales assistants at perfume counters is “Is it all natural?” even though most people peg an artificial fruit aroma as the real thing, choosing it over the actual extract. They want to think they’re buying a fragrance that’s made up of things that were actually alive at some point. Fair enough.

Perfume has always been something people buy based on their aspirations and dreams. Whether what makes you dream is Beyoncé, Jean-Claude Ellena in the Indian monsoon or cool, funky people picking wild cherries on May 24th in the Hérault valley is entirely up to you. The dream isn’t added value: it’s what you breathe in at the same time as your sillage. And perfume isn’t what’s in the bottle: it’s the perfumer’s story, added to yours.

And Sharini Parfums Naturels, a small outfit based in Aniane, a gorgeous little village near Montpellier, has a lovely story to tell. Not only does the spectacularly bearded and mustachioed Nicolas Jennings source exclusively organic materials, but he also produces several of them. Graines de Paradis (“Paradise Seeds”), his work for The Mystery of Musk, contains a few of these “made in Sharini” materials. This undoubtedly adds to the charm of his fragrance, something Nicolas Jennings is clearly aware of since he provides all the details on the Sharini website. Four of his floral essences – tiaré, neroli, jasmine and broom, the latter personally harvested by him – were extracted with the gentle, traditional, painstaking method of enfleurage, laying blossoms on coats of non-scented fat, and replacing them until the fat has absorbed enough essential oils. Other materials (wild cherries, Rooibos red tea and vanilla) were obtained by tincture: soaking them in alcohol until it is sufficiently saturated with their aroma.

There must be something immensely gratifying in being part of the whole chain of production, pre-Industrial Revolution style: the fields, the harvest, the slow process of coaxing plants into giving up their spirit, the blending… And this tender, holistic approach has somehow seeped into Graines de Paradis. There is a generosity and a lushness to it that seems to capture the soul of the blossoms that gave it (their) life…

After an initial effervescence that reminds me of some of my favorite winter fruit salads (mandarins and grapefruit steeped in fresh ginger), the scent quickly veers into a sweet floral blend. The cognac, vanilla and cherry, with its almond facets, lend an almost caramelized flavor to the honeyed accord of broom, linden and orange blossom. This orange blossom honey effect lasts for hours, relayed by a jasmine-sandalwood accord. Patchouli, oliban and aged agarwood are also listed in the notes, but don’t express themselves particularly strongly (I think the formula could have been even shorter without affecting the effects sought out), whereas the vegetal musk duet of ambrette and angelica suffuse the scent throughout. This is what ties in Graines de Paradis with the “Mystery of Musk” theme: it is far from being an all-botanical, organic rendering of the musk note, but it does offer an interpretation of a slightly gourmand musky floral.

Graines de Paradis has a lazy summer afternoon sensuousness to it, a decent amount of sillage and, due to the “heavier” base notes, a good longevity. I picked it out as the one I would be giving away for the draw before trying out all of the Mystery of Musk submissions, because I thought that being shipped within the borders of France, it didn’t run as many risks of being stolen or damaged in transit. I’m glad I did: I’ve been enjoying my little holiday to Nicolas’ paradise in the South of France.

The first fragrance I received, Graines de Paradis, by Sharini Parfums, a natural perfume workshop in the South of France was surprising, both in scent development and in how it is made. Their method of creation used 19 ingredients infused in organic corn alcohol and orange blossom hydrosol, with floral notes extracted by lavage of 4 enfleurage pomades. Enfleurage is a very nineteenth century style labor and materials intensive technique that draws out the fragrance of a natural material by soaking it in a rich substance such as oils or fats, which capture it. In particular the perfumer Nicolas Jennings and his friend Crystel gathered wild Genet (Broom flowers) and used a cold enfleurage process repeated 18 times. This perfume’s top notes of white grapefruit, ginger, green mandarin, cognac, wild cherry and rooibos red tea opens out expansively with a strong, joyous citric tang that grabs your attention, and then burns down to usher in heart notes of white rose, linden, Tahitian Gardenia, Neroli, Jasmine and wild Genet (the last four washed from enfleurage pomades). These are blended so smoothly and are so subtle that the Gardenia, while it gently rules the composition by reason of its strong character, is smoothed by rose and the base notes which hold the musk theme. The musk comes forward over the heart notes and dominates at the end. This musk base is composed of ambrette, angelica root, iris, Australian sandalwood, agar wood, oliban, and patchouli, and a vanilla tincture infused for more than a year from organic Madagascan vanilla pods. The luxuriously abundant use of these unique hand-made fully natural ingredients, combined with the labor-intensive process to refine them, results in a limited edition of 25 precious, individually signed and numbered bottles (120 Euros – 50 ml).

The ultimate dry down into musk from the opening and middle of the expression of the perfume is like following a dance that winds down into the repose of ease and sensuality. The floral elements are planted in the musk’s earthiness which while it has the rich dirtiness of patchouli, it is very smoothed by the vanilla, sandalwood and ambrette and toned by the other elements into a gentle soothing softness, like the well groomed, clean fur on a cat. None of the elements of the musk accord stand out individually but all blend into a harmonious, honeyed earthiness. As is usual with natural perfumes, the top and middle notes especially are complex and interesting, and while they quickly expend themselves, what is left is the predominantly musk theme that has been touched by and gently flavored by the citrus and floral elements. The musk aspect in this natural perfume is earthy but my sense of it is something very clean and wholesome at the same time, like fresh washed blonde hair.

Graines de Paradis
This comes from Sharini Parfums Naturels, in southern France. The most recent of the two vials I received is in 16% concentration, which would be perfume strength, so that’s the one I’ll write about.
These people work very hard at making their fragrance utterly natural, including using a traditional enfleurage process for some of the florals, tincturing their own vanilla, performing other extractions using CO2 and so on. The result is a truly unisex scent that, on first sniff, reminded me of grain, made me think of soft ochres and golds, and, later, delighted me with its tenacity. On my skin, the ginger sings all across the scent’s development. The other essences are so well blended that it is difficult for me to pick out any particular one, except the ambrette seed and angelica root that make up the musk. A special delight is the fact that the perfumers don’t let the agarwood (aoudh) or the patchouli stomp all over everything else.
For the painting I chose to use all warm colors, as this is very much a warm perfume, with the ginger essence appearing consistently in the higher register, and the botanical musks continually morphing and changing in the base.
An artfully blended scent.
The list of ingredients is longer than some restaurant menus, but here goes:
White grapefruit, ginger CO2, green mandarine, cognac, wild cherry and Rooibos red tea tincture (with the cherries having been picked on May 24th, 2010, in the valley of the Herault - now that’s specific!) -- Top Notes.
White Rose flower CO2, Linden blossom flower CO2, Tiare flower (Tahitian Gardenia) Neroli flower, Jasmine flower, Genet flower -- Heart Notes.
Ambrette seeds, Angelic root CO2, Iris CO2, Australian sandalwood (eco responsible), Agad Agarwood, Oilban CO2 (which is frankincense), Patchouli, Vanilla tincture (infused for 18 months from organic Madagascan vanilla pods) -- Base Notes.
Tincturing mediums were organic corn alcohol and organic orange blossom hydrosol.
The perfumer is Nicolas. Only 25 bottles of this fragrance will be made. For more information on the perfume or on Sharini, visit their website at www.sharini.com.

The Mystery of Musk – Graines de Paradis

by jrd4t on Jun.19, 2010, under Fragrance Reviews

Sharini Graines de Paradis

I am participating in a musk project called Mystery of Musk over on basenotes and will be sniffing 12 different musk perfumes over the next few weeks made by members of the Natural Perfumer’s Guild. First up is Sharini’s Graines de Paradis, a perfume created by Sharini Parfums Naturels in the south of France.

This opens as a bright floral citrus – refreshing and comforting. Sparkling grapefruit zest, spicy ginger, and wild cherries picked just last month in the valley of the Herault (wow!). The cherry note, sweetened by the 18 month aged tincture from Madagascan vanilla pods, has an almost chocolate covered cherry cordial feel to it. Those cherry cordials were my dad’s favorite growing up, so the image of them makes me smile. The sweetened citrus floral opening reminds me of Guerlain’s 68, but obviously a bit easier to relate to and simpler given the 19 ingredients rather than the huge 68 in the Guerlain. I only have experience with a few all-natural fragrances but what always strikes me is just how… well, natural they smell. Something about that makes you feel closer to the scent as it feels like it’s come from the earth, rather than a lab. It’s fascinating picking out notes in a natural perfume because what you’re smelling is actually what you’re smelling, rather than an attempt to recreate their scent artificially.

The opening is fleeting, but what’s next is the star of the show. This has a gorgeous floral heart of everything from Linden blossom, Genet flower (got me on what those are) and white rose to more traditional notes such as jasmine, gardenia and neroli. You’d think from what you see on paper thus far that this would be a very feminine floral, but it’s not. There’s nothing light or dainty and the supporting base notes bring a sultry tone to it. None of the floral notes are absolutes, but rather obtained by manually washing enfleurage pomades nearly 20 times. I’m not familiar enough with the process to know the precise affect that has, but perhaps it contributes to the much earthier feel to the florals.

It doesn’t take long for those florals to subside and allow the fabulous base to emerge. I sense a considerable amount of Ambrette with just the right amount of earthy patchouli to round it out. Notes of genuine oud, dusty iris and something that reminds of of the spicy warmth of cinnamon sticks (perhaps just the oliban?) are present. It’s at this point that it hits its stride and actually lasts an incredibly long time. I’ve worn it a few times now – the first time I sprayed it on the back of my hand around 7am and an earthy and warm base was still easily detectable a full 12 hours later – incredible for a natural perfume.

It very apparent that the ingredients here were obtained in a painstakingly careful way and in the traditional manner. Photos of their workshop and traditional extraction methods can be seen here on their site. A full description and complete list of notes can be found here.

Only 25 50ml bottles in eau de parfum strength were produced and are priced at 120€. Their bottles are gorgeous – each topped with a handmade ash wood cap, complete with the exterior bark.

Two strengths of this perfume were sent in, 8% and 16%. This review is of the 16%. My first thought was "Wow this is strong!" Graines de Paradis opens warm and citrusy. At first I wasn't sure I'd like it but was I ever wrong. As I drew in more of the scent both citrus and floral notes filled my nose. The citrus faded rather quickly leaving behind mildly spicy floral and earthy notes. The base is simply beautiful. Its place in this composition is established right from the start and holds through to the end moving from head to heart to base effortlessly without losing any of its character. First as a background for the florals and citruses then as a partner to the florals before taking center stage. Along with organic corn alcohol and organic orange blossom hydrosol 19 essences were used to build this beauty.

The perfumer states that, "this natural perfume is completely unique" because it uses no floral absolutes and thus is hexane residue free. Instead they used CO2 extracts and enfleurage, 4 of which they prepared themselves!

There are 19 ingredients that are 98.6% organic certified. 100% of which have natural origin and without the use of solvent of any kind. The base is organic corn alcohol and organic orange blossom hydrosol.

When the sample of “Graines de Paradis” from Sharini Parfums Naturels came I just stared at the materials list for almost ten minutes in amazement. You can see the list at the link above. Nicholas obviously goes to great lengths to source special ingredients that meet his demanding standards. This one also has great sillage and can last quite awhile. In that time it holds a stunning floral note but after some time the Oud and musk notes do come much more into play. In the very first few seconds there is a wonderful citrus and ginger note the really got my attention, after this all the floral’s come out and there are a lot of them. It is interesting to me that those all get to shine at some point, very nicely done. This one I got to take up into the mountains with me, huge difference in scent at 6000 feet up. Much woodier, still floral, but more wood notes.

#

It makes my heart happy to see the first line "It seems inconceivable that there can exist so many gifted natural perfumers, of whom one has never heard." Nick really is a wonderful perfumer. In 2005 I created naturalperfumery.com to try to get the perfumers on my yahoo group "out into the world" and it did help to a certain extent. However, it was the birth of such great perfume blog sites such as this that are the real messengers to the world. Thanks so much to the Cafleurebon crew!
#
Monica says:
July 4, 2010 at 9:28 am

Yes for agrestic! To me musk is one scent that must mingle with the natural smell of the wearer (be it real or imaginary) so that description "how livestock smell when they return to the barn, after lolling about in summer fields to graze; their pelts redolent of sweet wildflowers and herbs, grassy, haylike sweetness blended with real animal sweat" really touched me~ That to me is the mystery of musk…
#
Ankica says:
July 4, 2010 at 9:47 am

Anya speaking for myself this project has been eye-opening. I’d like to believe all of this talent would have found their fragrances reviewed at some point. The beauty of this project is that we are seeing the true kaleidoscope of fragrance when interpreted by different minds and it has been an exhilirating ride. Thanks to you and the Natural Perfumers Guild for making this possible.
#
Somerville Metro Man says:
July 4, 2010 at 12:46 pm

Ida you captured this one spot on. Also like you this was my first exposure to Nicholas Jennings artistry and I was also mightily impressed.
#
chayaruchama says:
July 4, 2010 at 12:52 pm

Thanks, Herr Mark ;-)
This is reminiscent of Mona Di Orio's Nuit Noire-
And that is meant as a compliment, because I am extremely fond of both the perfumer and the parfum-
But it is a completely natural and nuanced perfume , which is vastly different, and harder to do with no synthetics….
Agree that this is an illuminating experience.
What a joy !

The first fragrance I received, Graines de Paradis, by Sharini Parfums, a natural perfume workshop in the South of France was surprising, both in scent development and in how it is made. Their method of creation used 19 ingredients infused in organic corn alcohol and orange blossom hydrosol, with floral notes extracted by lavage of 4 enfleurage pomades. Enfleurage is a very nineteenth century style labor and materials intensive technique that draws out the fragrance of a natural material by soaking it in a rich substance such as oils or fats, which capture it. In particular the perfumer Nicolas Jennings and his friend Crystel gathered wild Genet (Broom flowers) and used a cold enfleurage process repeated 18 times. This perfume’s top notes of white grapefruit, ginger, green mandarin, cognac, wild cherry and rooibos red tea opens out expansively with a strong, joyous citric tang that grabs your attention, and then burns down to usher in heart notes of white rose, linden, Tahitian Gardenia, Neroli, Jasmine and wild Genet (the last four washed from enfleurage pomades). These are blended so smoothly and are so subtle that the Gardenia, while it gently rules the composition by reason of its strong character, is smoothed by rose and the base notes which hold the musk theme. The musk comes forward over the heart notes and dominates at the end. This musk base is composed of ambrette, angelica root, iris, Australian sandalwood, agar wood, oliban, and patchouli, and a vanilla tincture infused for more than a year from organic Madagascan vanilla pods. The luxuriously abundant use of these unique hand-made fully natural ingredients, combined with the labor-intensive process to refine them, results in a limited edition of 25 precious, individually signed and numbered bottles (120 Euros – 50 ml).

The ultimate dry down into musk from the opening and middle of the expression of the perfume is like following a dance that winds down into the repose of ease and sensuality. The floral elements are planted in the musk’s earthiness which while it has the rich dirtiness of patchouli, it is very smoothed by the vanilla, sandalwood and ambrette and toned by the other elements into a gentle soothing softness, like the well groomed, clean fur on a cat. None of the elements of the musk accord stand out individually but all blend into a harmonious, honeyed earthiness. As is usual with natural perfumes, the top and middle notes especially are complex and interesting, and while they quickly expend themselves, what is left is the predominantly musk theme that has been touched by and gently flavored by the citrus and floral elements. The musk aspect in this natural perfume is earthy but my sense of it is something very clean and wholesome at the same time, like fresh washed blonde hair.

A most astonishing little envelope arrived the other day from France. In it I received the sample from Sharini Parfums Naturels for the Mystery of Musk extravaganza. When I opened the envelope, inside were a brochure for Sharini Parfums Naturels, and a finely-woven canvas bag emblazoned with the the logo of the House of Sharini, and one precious vial of Graines de Paradis. I should backtrack a little to say that I have had the good fortune to
have smelled real deer musk while I lived in Japan, both in its raw form and in a tincture. I went to one of Kyoto's famous incense houses, the 400-year old Kungyoku-do, across the street from the
temple of Nishi Hongan-ji. That shop in itself is a delight, and the proprietors and staff are very gracious and generous with their knowledge about the fragrant ingredients used in their wares, many of which are kept in the small drawers of a colossal cabinet for fragrant materials along one wall of the shop, like the drawers of an ancient apothecary. One of these ingredients is musk.

The raw musk, of course, smells like a powerful 'bouf' of animal, quite powerful and even rank. I happen to like the smell of raw musk, but understand why people might not like it much. Tucked into an incense mixture in only very subtle quantities, it adds a velvety, darkly erotic quality to the fragrance, and adds such a tenacity to the fragrance which it exalts that fragrant ghosts of it remain long after it was applied.

I really learned about musk and why it is used in perfumes when I smelled really good musk tincture. Once you've smelled it, and perhaps worn it, you know what musk is about and why it has been treasured for so long as an almost magical ingredient among aromatic materials.

So to finally return to Sharini Parfums Naturels' Graines de Paradis, the very first thing I would like to say about this astonishingly beautifully-made perfume is to say that its creator(s) have gotten as close as possible to replicating from botanicals the smell of real deer musk as it would smell folded into a fine perfume. It's simply amazing in that regard. There is of course no actual animal musk in this perfume at all, but I immediately understood that the gifted nose that created this has evoked the real fragrance of deer musk with all its power from botanicals alone, and somehow, through a kind of botanical near-magical know-how, managed to apprehend the striking
animalic qualities of musk, those subtle tendrils of fragrance that cause adrenaline rushes and half-remembered moments of transcendental passion. Musk is really magic, and mysterious, and to the House of Sharini I must really take my hat off in homage. Reading over the brochure that came along with the generous sample, I read that Sharini does not use absolutes or anything that might contain traces of hexane. As I continued to read I learned that Sharini had produced many of the aromatics folded into their Graines de Paradis perfume themselves. Sharini has managed to conjure a fragrance that pulls heartstrings I didn't even know I'd had. Here is deep longing muskiness flowing underneath a marvellously beguiling honeyed heart note, with a softly lifting, luxurious top note that wafts a piquant, breezy, and bright citrus paradisii note
sallying through orchards of Herault cherries. It smells of real gold on the top, orange-red in the middle, and deep, clean, musky cinnabar in the base notes. It is so beautiful that I nearly wept from happiness.

One more thing I just have to comment on is the incredibly tenacious drydown of this parfum. It lasts twelve hours, though unfolding gradually and graciously all the way like a slowly-unfurled
illuminated scroll. If you find it a bit too musky at first, stick with this perfume, believe you me; it's got chapters and chapters to unfold for you.